KKK fliers found in mostly black neighborhood

Published: Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 09:03 AM.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Police say some residents in a predominantly black neighborhood found offensive fliers on their front lawns — a recruiting advertisement for the Ku Klux Klan.

The fliers, discovered Monday in the Historic Westside community, depict a hooded Klansman along with the words, “Our race is our nation. Loyal white knights,” and a phone number to call.

No threats or personal messages were found with the four fliers handed over to police, and each was found inside a plastic zip lock bag, held down with a fishing weight, according to a New Smyrna Beach police report. Police Sgt. Eugene Griffith said the fliers are not illegal and police would not take action, unless the group’s recruitment “gets out of hand.”

Timothy Washington found a flier in front of his home in the 300 block of North Myrtle Avenue and said he thought that type of hateful mentality mostly was gone.

“Every once in a while, it rears its ugly head,” said Washington, 46. “In this day and age, there’s no need for that type of hate.” Kay Smith, who lives in the 400 block of Cedar Avenue, also was disappointed with the flier.

“I thought somebody had dropped their garbage until I saw the hood,” Smith, 78, said. “It’s a shame that stuff is still out there.” Smith, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said this is the first time she’s come across anything like that. Robert Jones, who calls himself the great titan of the Loyal White Knights of the KKK, said by phone that he thought the neighborhood was home to residents of mixed races, not primarily black.

“We don’t know who lives inside,” Jones said of the homes where fliers were dropped. “It’s basically random.” Jones said he lives in Georgia and the “knight rides,” or distribution of fliers, typically occur following a meeting.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Police say some residents in a predominantly black neighborhood found offensive fliers on their front lawns — a recruiting advertisement for the Ku Klux Klan.

The fliers, discovered Monday in the Historic Westside community, depict a hooded Klansman along with the words, “Our race is our nation. Loyal white knights,” and a phone number to call.

No threats or personal messages were found with the four fliers handed over to police, and each was found inside a plastic zip lock bag, held down with a fishing weight, according to a New Smyrna Beach police report.
Police Sgt. Eugene Griffith said the fliers are not illegal and police would not take action, unless the group’s recruitment “gets out of hand.”

Timothy Washington found a flier in front of his home in the 300 block of North Myrtle Avenue and said he thought that type of hateful mentality mostly was gone.

“Every once in a while, it rears its ugly head,” said Washington, 46. “In this day and age, there’s no need for that type of hate.”
Kay Smith, who lives in the 400 block of Cedar Avenue, also was disappointed with the flier.

“I thought somebody had dropped their garbage until I saw the hood,” Smith, 78, said. “It’s a shame that stuff is still out there.”
Smith, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said this is the first time she’s come across anything like that.
Robert Jones, who calls himself the great titan of the Loyal White Knights of the KKK, said by phone that he thought the neighborhood was home to residents of mixed races, not primarily black.

“We don’t know who lives inside,” Jones said of the homes where fliers were dropped. “It’s basically random.”
Jones said he lives in Georgia and the “knight rides,” or distribution of fliers, typically occur following a meeting.

He said members from different Central Florida factions distributed fliers after the meeting near New Smyrna Beach.

“We usually pick up a couple of members,” Jones said. “Ain’t had one unsuccessful yet.”

He said his group did pick up a couple members after distributing fliers in the New Smyrna Beach area.
Sgt. Griffith said no other law enforcement agency, such as the U.S. Department of Justice, has been contacted.